Trump blasts 'stupid' supporters as they question him over handling of Epstein case

DONALD TRUMP HAS called Republicans, including his own supporters, “stupid”, amid increasing pressure over his administration’s alleged cover up of the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein.

The US President took to his social media platform Truth Social to blast those who have dared to question him over what he says is a lie made up by Democrats to damage him.

“My PAST supporters have bought into this ‘bullshit’, hook, line and sinker”, he wrote, before calling them “weaklings”.

“It’s all been a big hoax, it’s perpetrated by the Democrats. And some stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans fall into the net and so they try and do the Democrats’ work,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

The most recent split in the Trump fan base comes in response to allegations that he is covering up lurid details of disgraced financier Epstein’s crimes to protect rich and powerful figures.

Epstein died by suicide in a New York prison in 2019 – during Trump’s first term – after being charged with sex trafficking in a scheme where he allegedly groomed young and underage women and girls for sexual abuse by the rich and powerful.

Epstein’s former assistant, Ghislaine Maxwell, is the only former associate of his who has been criminally charged in connection with his activities. She is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence. 

The Trump-supporting far-right has long latched on to the scandal, claiming the existence of a still-secret list of Epstein’s powerful clients and that the late financier was in fact murdered in his cell as part of a cover-up.

Trump supporters expected the Republican to answer their questions on his return to office this January but now find themselves being told the conspiracy theories are false.

The Justice Department and FBI said in a memo made public earlier this month there is no evidence that the disgraced financier kept a “client list” or was blackmailing powerful figures.

They also dismissed the claim that Epstein was murdered in jail, confirming his death by suicide, and said they would not be releasing any more information on the probe.

After the release of the memo, Elon Musk, a former member of Trump’s cabinet, accused the president of being in the “Epstein files” after the pair had a falling out over the government’s recently passed spending bill. 

He later deleted his posts but has since returned to posting about Epstein and the Trump administration. 

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Trump’s changing tune

Trump doubled down when he faced repeated questions on the issue today, pinning the blame for the wild conspiracy theories on his opponents.

He then sought to deflect, rattling off what he said were a list of his economic and foreign policy achievements and complaining that people were instead “talking about a guy who obviously had some very serious problems who died three, four years ago.”

“And the sad part,” he said, “is people that are really doing the Democrats work.

“They’re stupid people.”

He also said he has “lost faith” in some of his supporters.

Trump is one of the many currently famous people who were formerly friends with Epstein, but denies having gone to his notorious US Virgin Islands home.

He said ahead of his election he said he would release files on the case. However, since his re-election, the administration has attempted to brush the issue under the carpet.

It’s created a schism among staff, sparking a fiery blow-up between Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino, who is said to be considering resigning.

Trump today reiterated that Bondi could release “whatever’s credible” in the files.

But criticism of Trump’s handling of the issue continued – even from some of his closest allies.

Republican Senator Ted Cruz told reporters: “I have long said we should release everything.”

Retired general Michael Flynn, Trump’s former national security advisor in his first term who resigned after lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia, said the “roll out of this was terrible, no way around that.”

“It is NOT about Epstein or the left. It is about committing crimes against CHILDREN,” added Flynn, a frequent stoker of conspiracy theories whom Trump appointed to a board overseeing US military service academies back in March.

With reporting by AFP

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